Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 1.djvu/211

 how the last judgment was accomplished, and also how Babylon was destroyed, how those who are understood by the dragon were cast into the abyss, and how the new heaven was formed, and a new church instituted in the heavens which is understood by the New Jerusalem. It was granted me to see all these things with my own eyes, in order that I might be able to testify of them. This last judgment commenced in the beginning of the year 1757, and was fully accomplished at the end of that year.

But it ought to be known that the last judgment was executed upon those who had lived from the Lord's time to this day, but not upon those who had lived before: for a last judgment had twice before occurred on this earth. Of these two judgments, the one is described in the Word by the flood, the other was effected by the Lord Himself when He was in the world, which moreover is understood by his words, "Now is the judgment of this world, now is the prince of this world cast out" (John xii. 31); and "These things I have spoken unto you that in Me ye may have peace; be of good cheer, I have overcome the world;" (John xvi. 33, also Isa. lxiii. 1 to 8: and in many other places.)

A last judgment has twice before occurred on this earth, because every judgment occurs at the end of a church; and there have been two churches on this earth, one before the flood and one after it. The church before the flood is described in the beginning